Revitalisation of the FSR / FEH rainfall-runoff method

This project produced an updated version of the rainfall-runoff method for estimating floods, using new techniques, analysis and data.

• From: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 16 February 2021

• Category: Understanding risks from all sources of flooding
• Topics: Big data, Decision making with uncertainty, Flood forecasting, Flood risk assessment, Hydrology, Meteorology, Modelling, Surface water, Understanding physical processes
• Project status: Completed
• Project code: FD1913
• Date of completion: 31 March 2004

Documents

Revitalisation of the FSR / FEH rainfall-runoff method - final report (665 KB) PDF

Revitalisation of the FSR / FEH rainfall-runoff method - technical report (3 MB) PDF

Revitalisation of the FSR / FEH rainfall-runoff method - summary (28 KB) PDF

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Details

This project developed a new rainfall-runoff method with:

• updated statistical methods
• new data and techniques for analysis
• better computing methods

This was to replace the existing method in the Flood Estimation Handbook (FEH) Vol 4.

This study was carried out in part because of a concern that the method tended to overestimate design floods when compared to the statistical method in the FEH. The updated method makes it possible to estimate design hydrographs for hydraulic engineering and flood management.

The project started in 2001 and was completed in 2004 at a cost of £237,638.

Published 16 February 2021